Written Answers Friday 18 November 2005

Scottish Executive

Autism

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19881 by Lewis Macdonald on 3 November 2005, whether it can provide a source in order to obtain the required information relating to the non-vaccinated population and not specifically to MMR; whether it intends to collate such information itself in future, and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Lewis Macdonald: The existing immunisation database does not provide data on individuals with or without an autism spectrum disorder. The Scottish Executive does not intend to collect such information as worldwide consensus is that there is no evidence for an association between vaccines and autism. This is based on the US Institute of Medicine Report from 2004 on Vaccines and Autism, an executive summary of which is available at http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10997.html .

Drug Misuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what bodies hold the information needed to compile a reliable estimate of the size of the illegal drugs trade in Scotland.

Cathy Jamieson: A wide range of bodies including the police, the National Criminal Intelligence Service and the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency hold basic information on drug seizures and drug prices which, subject to the development of a reliable methodology, could contribute to estimates of the size of the illegal drugs trade in Scotland.

Drug Misuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to compile an estimate of the size of the illegal drugs trade in Scotland.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive has no current plans to compile an estimate of the size of the illegal drugs trade in Scotland but we are continuing to keep under review the various sources of available data and developments in methodology so that we are able to assess when it may be possible to produce reliable estimates.

Drug Misuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it had with the Home Office to assist the Home Office in determining the size of the drugs trade in the United Kingdom.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is in touch with the Home Office on a range of common interests including efforts to determine the size of the drugs trade in the United Kingdom.

Drug Misuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has ever (a) contacted or (b) been contacted by interested parties who were willing to provide information or conduct research into the drug trade in Scotland.

Cathy Jamieson: As part of the commissioning process for procuring any piece of social science research work, the Scottish Executive seeks expressions of interest from research organisations capable of carrying out that work and in that context has been contacted by organisations responding to advertised opportunities for research into drug related issues.

Economy

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the change in gross domestic product per hour worked was in each year since 1975.

Allan Wilson: Data on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per hour worked are produced by the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Data are available on a regional basis since 1996, therefore changes in GDP per hour can only be expressed from 1997 to the most recent year available (2003). Table 1 highlights the respective growth in GDP per hour per year over the period.

  Table 1: Output (Gross Value Added) Per Hour Worked in Scotland

  

Year
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Index
100
101.5
102.2
104.0
107.1
106.2
108.6
111.8


Growth rate
 
1.5%
0.8%
1.7%
3.0%
-0.8%
2.3%
2.9%



  Sources: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/tsdataset.asp?vlnk=4841,

  http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/Product.asp?vlnk=8095

  Although GDP per hour is widely recognised as a more accurate measure than GDP per worker, there are difficulties in making this data internationally comparable. For this reason the ONS recommends that the data are treated as experimental and that GDP per worker continues to be used as the standard measure for productivity.

Fire Service

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what advice it was decided to move to multi-tier entry and accelerated promotion system in the fire and rescue services in order to move towards greater diversity in the services.

Hugh Henry: The need to review a range of cultural and leadership matters, including appointments and promotion, within the fire and rescue services was highlighted by several reports and thematic reviews, including The Independent Review of the Fire Service published in December 2002. The intension to introduce a system of multi-tier entry was indicated in the Scottish Executive consultation document, The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service: Proposals for Legislation , published in October 2003. Members of the Scottish Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council were consulted prior to the revision of The Fire Services (Appointments And Promotion) (Scotland) Regulations, which facilitated the introduction of multi-tier entry.

Fresh Talent Initiative

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been unsuccessful in applying for a Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme visa.

Mr Tom McCabe: The requested information is as follows.

  

 
Unsuccessful Applications Made in UK


Refused
16


Rejected
52


Void
1


Total
69



  This data is based on internal Management Information from the Home Office and UKVisas and is provisional and subject to change.

  Data on unsuccessful applicants made from outside the UK is not currently available.

  A refusal is made where the application has been considered and does not meet the specified criteria. An application is rejected because it cannot be considered – this may be that required information is missing or the wrong fee has been paid.

Health

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what training is given to paramedic practitioners working with older people.

Mr Andy Kerr: The subject of working with older people is not covered as a specific topic, however, it is frequently referred to in the courses detailed below as the majority of their calls will be to the elderly. The paramedic practitioner, in addition to basic paramedic training, has also completed a six month minor injuries course which covers a broad subject base from birth to death. This course refers to special conditions liable to affect older people, highlighting the higher risk of injuries caused by the ageing process and the higher risk of falls in the elderly.

  The practitioner must then complete 12 objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) and a portfolio based on their work with the out-of-hours service. The practitioner then goes on to complete a six month acute illness course with five OSCEs to be completed at the end of this course. This course also covers a broad range of illnesses that the practitioner will encounter whilst working out-of-hours.

  Following successful completion of the course the practitioners are invited to attend monthly lectures organised by the GPs some of the recent topics have included paediatrics and terminal care.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what regulation of the counselling and psychotherapy profession there (a) is currently and (b) will be in future and what discussions it has had with the (i) Secretary of State for Health, (ii) Minister for Health and Social Services at the Welsh Assembly Government and (iii) Northern Ireland Office on the matter.

Mr Andy Kerr: Counselling and psychotherapy are not currently subject to statutory regulation, although some practitioners are subject to partial voluntary regulation through membership of professional organisations.

  The Scottish Executive has had no discussions with either the Secretary of State for Health, the Minister for Health and Social Services at the Welsh Assembly Government, or the Northern Ireland Office about future statutory regulation for these particular professions.

  Scottish Executive officials are in close contact with officials in the Department of Health (DH) in England who are in the lead on plans for future UK regulation across a wide spectrum of health care professions. This includes counselling and psychotherapy, and DH has had preliminary discussions with the relevant professional bodies about the possibility of regulation by the Health Professions Council (HPC). Regulation is still some way off, however, as the professions are now working towards meeting HPC criteria. The Executive will fully engage with future dialogue as it develops.

Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16967 by Mr Andy Kerr on 14 June 2005, what further meetings, talks, discussions and communications it has had with private health providers, organisations and individuals and what the outcomes were.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive held a conference on 3 October 2005 in The Beardmore Hotel, Clydebank which was aimed at chief executives and chairs of NHS boards in Scotland, Independent Sector Providers and those involved in the planning and developing of NHS services. The purpose was to maximise contracting opportunities to increase service capacity, examine opportunities to strengthen relationships across public and independent health care boundaries and create a platform for innovative solutions.

  The National Waiting Times Unit has regular communications and discussions with established independent sector providers in Scotland and the North of England on operational issues, particularly in relation to capacity available should boards identify a particular need to purchase additional activity. These providers are as follows:

  Abbey Carrick Glen, Ayr

  Abbey Caldew, Carlisle

  Abbey Kings Park, Stirling

  Advanced Centre for Eyecare, Glasgow

  Alliance Medical

  BMI Albyn, Aberdeen

  BMI Fernbrae, Dundee

  BMI Ross Hall, Glasgow

  BUPA Murrayfield

  Healthcare at Home

  Nuffield, Glasgow

  Nuffield, Newcastle

  UK Medinet

  Vanguard Healthcare

  Woodlands, Darlington.

  The National Waiting Times Unit have also had meetings with Netcare and Transmedica. These two meetings were at the request of the independent providers and the outcomes were an overview of their companies products.

Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has pledged to spend on contracts with the private health sector and over how many years.

Mr Andy Kerr: In Fair to All, Personal to Each (2004), we pledged £45 million over three years to negotiate contracts with the independent health care sector, to enable NHS patients to receive their operations more quickly.

Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many routine operations it expects to deliver through contracts with the private health sector and for how many NHS patients.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is for NHS boards to decide whether to commission treatment from outside the NHS to ensure that they are able to offer timely elective treatment to all of their residents. The Scottish Executive has assisted boards by facilitating the negotiation of contracts with non-NHS providers, and by working with individual boards that have identified a particular need for additional capacity. Information about precise numbers of procedures carried out by non-NHS providers is not centrally available.

  The Executive has allocated £10 million to NHS boards in 2005-06 to purchase private sector capacity to assist them to meet their waiting times targets. Approximately 3,000 NHS patients will benefit from shorter waits as a result. The number of procedures that can be purchased depends on the mix and complexity of procedures commissioned by boards, which in turn depends on the clinical needs of patients.

  NHS boards are of course able to commission additional procedures from independent providers using their own unified budgets. They also commission work from the Golden Jubilee National Hospital, which is part of the NHS.

Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on contracts with the private health sector.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive has not contracted directly with independent healthcare providers but has allocated £10 million so far to NHS boards in 2005-06 to purchase private sector capacity to assist them to meet their waiting times targets. NHS boards may also purchase further independent health care sector capacity in addition to this.

Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list (a) of the NHS boards that have entered contracts with the private health sector, showing the name and remit of each provider and (b) any other contracts it plans to enter with the private health sector.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS boards who have been allocated Executive funding to contract with the independent sector during 2005-06 are: Argyll and Clyde, Ayrshire and Arran, Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, Fife, Forth Valley, Grampian, Greater Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Lothian and Tayside. The following are independent health care providers who undertake activity on behalf of NHS Scotland:

  Abbey Caldew, Carlisle

  Abbey Carrick Glen, Ayr

  Abbey Kings Park, Stirling

  Advanced Centre for Eyecare, Glasgow

  Alliance Medical

  BMI Albyn, Aberdeen

  BMI Fernbrae, Dundee

  BMI Ross Hall, Glasgow

  BUPA Murrayfield

  Healthcare at Home

  Nuffield, Glasgow

  Nuffield, Newcastle

  UK Medinet

  Vanguard Healthcare

  Woodlands, Darlington.

  The Scottish Executive has assisted boards by facilitating the contact with these non-NHS providers, however contracts are agreed and held at local board level and details are not held centrally.

  The Scottish Executive does not plan to enter into any contracts direct with independent health care providers, however, it is likely that boards may contract directly with non-NHS providers where they have a particular need for additional capacity. NHS Tayside plans to contract with an independent provider towards the end of this financial year to pilot a regional treatment centre at Stracathro hospital.

Public Spending

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of public spending per head was in Scotland in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area, and what comparative information it has on the equivalent figures for the rest of the United Kingdom.

Mr Tom McCabe: The level of total identifiable expenditure on services per head in Scotland (on both devolved and reserved matters) and the UK as a whole since 1997 is shown in the following table.

  Total Identifiable Spend per Head of Population

  

Year
Scotland
(£ Per Head)
UK
(£ Per Head)


1997-98
4,861
4,101


1998-99
5,019
4,214


1999-00
5,377
4,562


2000-01
5,692
4,832


2001-02
6,308
5,280


2002-03
6,667
5,640


2003-04
7,346
6,164


2004-05
7,786
6,617



  Source: HM Treasury’s Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2005.

  The Treasury document does not give figures for the UK excluding Scotland, nor is information by local authority area held centrally.

Scottish Executive Publications

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) press releases and (b) consultation documents it has issued in each year since 1999.

Mr Tom McCabe: Individual news releases and consultation documents are listed on the Scottish Executive website at - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/ and

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Consultations/.

  A quick tally of the news release and consultation figures are set out in the following table:

  

 
19991
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
20052


News Releases3
1,103
2,068
2,184
1,954
1,881
1,702
1,268


Consultation Documents
89
141
165
169
157
175
132



  Notes:

  1. Figures since devolution.

  2. Covers the period up to 8 November 2005.

  3. The news release figures cover mainly national releases. Versions of national releases amended for issue to local media are generally not included in the figures.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Parliament Artwork

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many pieces of art have been (a) damaged or (b) stolen from Holyrood and any other offices under its management.

George Reid: Some minor damage has occurred to two pieces of art and to the fixing of two others. These are as follows:

  The Boyle Family, Study of Rippled Sand and Black Rocks, Hebrides - some minor damage to this artwork occurred with a small coffee spillage. This required a little surface cleaning by a conservator. The artwork will be raised in height slightly to help protect it and staff have been reminded to avoid placing catering equipment near artworks.

  Norma Starszakowna, Hinterland - minor damage has occurred to the fixing for the end textile panel. This is currently being addressed.

  Christine Borland, Small Objects that Save Lives - there are plans to improve the fixings.

  Salvador Juanpere, 135 Vectors - one of the bronze vectors had to be replaced.

  There have been no pieces of art reported as stolen from Holyrood or other offices.

  The SPCB appointed an Art Curator earlier this year. She is currently undertaking a risk assessment of the Holyrood artwork which will help address the above points. A number of other steps are being implemented to ensure the long-term security, safety, care and conservation of the artwork on display.